Biobased multiphase foams with ZnO for wound dressing applications.

The continuous development of new wound dressing materials is necessary in order to achieve the best skin tissue regeneration properties. In this research, renewable foams, based on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) blended with polylactic acid (PLA), with and without 5 wt.% zinc oxide (ZnO) nanofiller were fabricated, and their biocompatibility with fibroblast cells was evaluated. The composites were prepared by thermally induced phase separation method (TIPS) for wound dressing application. These porous materials were structurally and thermally characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTIR). The materials were also tested for their water uptake ability, hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR). The fibroblasts presented a good interaction with these foams by adhering to the materials surface, pointing out that a higher content of TPU is favorable for cell viability. Moreover, no toxic effects of these novel materials were detected. The antibacterial tests showed proper antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Thus, blending TPU foams with PLA could be validated as biocompatible platforms, suitable for wound dressing application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]